SUN OCT 25 2026-theGBJournal| Nigeria’s electoral chief has called on the police and other security agencies to protect voters with disabilities from intimidation, violence and barriers to participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash O. Amupitan, says no eligible Nigerian should be prevented from voting because of disability, insecurity or discrimination.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday, 23 October 2026, Amupitan urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to strengthen cooperation with electoral officials to ensure that persons with disabilities can participate safely and independently in the 2027 general elections.
He was addressing a high-level meeting on disability-inclusive election security, attended by representatives of security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa and organisations representing persons with disabilities.
Amupitan said credible elections depended not only on the conduct of voting itself but also on whether every eligible citizen could exercise their democratic rights freely, safely and without discrimination.
He called for disability inclusion to be incorporated into election security planning, police training and the deployment of personnel, warning that intimidation, violence and inaccessible polling arrangements could prevent voters with disabilities from exercising their franchise.
The INEC chairman also urged security agencies to identify potential threats before election day, including inaccessible polling stations, overcrowding, electoral violence and communication barriers.
He stressed that assistance provided to voters with disabilities must respect their dignity, independence, privacy and freedom of choice.
The commission is seeking stronger coordination among INEC, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), alongside accessible channels for reporting incidents and responding promptly to threats.
Amupitan cited Nigeria’s constitutional and legal obligations, including the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
He also pointed to INEC’s 2026 election guidelines, which provide for priority access, appropriate assistance and assistive voting materials for voters with disabilities.
The meeting comes as electoral authorities and security agencies prepare for the 2027 general elections, with the commission calling for practical measures to ensure that disability does not become a barrier to democratic participation.
The challenge now is to translate those commitments into effective security arrangements, accessible polling facilities and protections that allow every eligible voter to cast a ballot without fear.
X-@theGBJournal|email:gbj@govbusinessjournal.com|govandbusinessj@gmail.com
